A Daily Driver Update

If that Silverado broke where there was no cell phone service, what are the chances you could do anything with it? For me, almost zero. If your 39 breaks you at least have a chance. Plus, every time that I have broke in a vintage car has turned into a worthwhile adventure. Each time I have had help that seems to come from nowhere, and have met the greatest folks in the process. Keep on driving it, you are an inspiration for the rest of us.

 

You know, I really don't think people understand what it is to drive an old car everyday. I drive a '64 F100 everyday with a 292, and it's just a joy... once you get p***ed some of it's bugs. Someone drove it all the time at some point, so why not now? It was new at one point afterall. Besides, when something does go wrong on the road, a little inginuity and perseverance goes a long way... I've pulled that card on the straight 8 in my '48 Buick on 1000+ mile trips. Kudos to you sir! Keep the dream alive!

 

I'm glad you posted this. Other peoples daily driver experiences are interesting to me.

The last year or two I've been trying to drive my '40 sedan as much as possible. It may not be my 100% daily driven vehicle but probably falls into the 85-90% range. I put right at 6,000 miles on it last year.
That being said. I have enjoyed running around in my old Ford. For the longest time my cars were more like garage art. They would sit in the same spot without a spec of dirt anywhere. I would only drive them if the 36 hour forecast was clear and I had a car related event to attend with the occasional Sunday drive in the country thrown in.
Now that spring has sprung, I've been trying to drive my old car as much as possible. Last week I drove the car everyday with three different days of about 200 miles per day. I enjoyed the drive, but man will this old thing wear you out on a long haul. My car likes to cruise at the 60 mph range so that pretty much rules out using the interstate where everyone else seems to travel at 80+ mph.
It takes a little longer to get where I'm going, changing the oil every 500 miles (or as close as I can) gets to be a h***le, and drum brakes leave lots to be desired but I still like my old ride.
One thing that does bother me and I've been trying to just "get over" is the fact that my car seems to go down hill driving it all the time. Interior takes a beating, rock chips in paint, fresh oil leak covered my freshly detailed engine bay (and undercarriage), recently broke a window crank etc. By looking at Ryan's math, even with the wear and tear on my car, I'm still coming out ahead.

 

I'm with you.

Granted, I do have a company provided car that gets driven for work, but otherwise, my newest vehicle is a 65 f-100.

I often find myself thinking "what if I added A/C" or "This truck would be bad *** with a drop, new interior, paint, a radio..." etc.

In the end, I always realize that the reason I love my old truck is the fact that it is the simplicity of the 352/3 speed and the fact that the truck has no options/frills.

 

You can never win financially if you always buy new cars. The rule of thumb is that a 3 year old car (with 30,000 miles on it) is worth about half of what it cost new. You're paying dearly for the new car feeling and the new car smell, plus the confidence of a new car warrantee.

As for driving a cl***ic every day (for an average of 10K/miles/year), it will be subjected to the pains of wear and tear to the point of needing a complete restoration in 7 or 8 years. You can easily spend $10-15K (cash only) on a restoration.

For daily driving I think buying a 3-4 year old used car and keeping it for 3-4 years is the best financial move, while preserving the cl***ic for weekends and such.

 

I just forward this to my wife so she will understand the reason behind me wanting a 54 truck (we need a truck) instead of a late 90's or early 2000 truck

 

Mr.48chev, Excellent points! Most people make their cars run and then take off down the road without thuroghly checking every nut and bolt.. I think your right about the people just getting into this hobby not fully understanding everything on their cars.

Ryan,
What kind of mileage does your flathead get?

Mike

 

Pretty much the way I feel with my 71 F100 DD.

 

I have my 01 Suburban, and my wifes Volvo, and I have the 53 Chevy that has a great drive train and Vintage Air. But the car I love to drive the most is my 40 Chevy 2dr Sedan. You don't see a 40 Chevy on the road that much to begin with and to find a 2dr Master 85 Sedan is even harder to locate. It is bare bones and a beast to drive but I feel so at home behind the wheel of it I get lost in my thoughts as I am motovating down the highway. I would love to get a convoy of old 30's, 40's and early 50's cars together and make a run down some old back country road that stretches for miles.

 

I hear ya Ryan. I've got a few daily drivers at this point. The '57 still runs great and I'll drive it anywhere no questions asked, but I just don't have the heart to drive it to the mall anymore.

I've been chasing a nagging computer issue with my 98 Mustang GT that has caused odd throttle issues, and my 93 Grand Caravan is still the epitome of reliability after 18 years in the family, even at 171K on the clock.

But my 63 Fairlane has also been a tremendous addition that gets LOTS of use. For several months it was absorbing about 600 miles a week of driving, and it has never one not started or failed to get me to where I need to go. Is it a bit finnicky? sure. Is it kinda rough and tired? yup. The seats are torn up and I don't like to drive it when I'm going to work or court since I'm paranoid about the upholstery messing up my suit. The 289 SBF smokes a bit. But it runs, drives, stops, handles well, and with an OD ****** in the works and some new upholstery, it should be a perfect daily driver.

And there's nothing I can't fix on the side of the road with basic hand tools if needed

 

Driving your old car means you'll be the coolest guy there when you reach your destination, and you'll get to enjoy the vibe that only an old car can provide while you're making the trip.

Carry a cell phone and your AAA card and a credit card or enough cash to rent something if you have a problem that cannot be solved immediately and you're on a schedule. Mobile internet access means access to every member here on the hamb, which means enthusiastic ***istance pretty-much anywhere you might have a problem.

Paragraph 2 above obviously applies to new cars as much as old cars. Old cars are meant to be enjoyed, and it sounds like you're enjoying yours. Keep it up.

 

Ryan, buy the best AAA road service possible. Put together a travel box for your trunk containing "points, cond, dist cap, rotor, fuel filter, two quarts of oil, can of brake fluid, fan belt, tire tubes for front & rear, a set of jumper cables plus a 25' tow strap .
Peace of mind will come after more traveling miles in the sedan.
Life is all the things that happen to you, plans are only plans. Good luck, Bob

 

Thanks for breaking this down, I will forward to my wife maybe it will help her understand my obsession!

 

The big difference between and old car and a modern one is that, short of a catastrophic mechanical failure, there's not a lot that can truly knock the car off the road if you carry a few basic spare parts and stay on top of the thing.

What I think throws some people into trouble is that older cars need to be maintained more often than modern stuff, and that's not a bad thing. I've had '58 Pontiacs, a '64 T-Bird, a 58 Porsche and my '60 Vauxhall as daily drivers and only one of the Pontiacs ever failed me, and that was my own stupid fault for not changing out a funky looking brake line. I have had "breakdowns" but carrying some tools and a few basic spare parts cures that. Meanwhile I have been stranded by modern cars plenty of times due to problems that you just can't fix on the side of the road. I remember a BMW stranding me in the middle of nowhere because it didn't want to recognize the key any more. Had it been the Vauxhall I could have hot wired it.

 

one of the sad things is that its so expensive to get something older that will look decent and perform reliably. For a lot of folks, plunking down 20k for a Ford like Ryan did (without financing) isn't realistic. So what ends up on the road is usually something a lot cheaper, which will eventually develop issues and ruin the experience.

I went through this with an OT musclecar as a DD. It cost about 15k and I financed it, and had no other new cars to make payments on. No problem, right? Everytime I got in it, I kept thinking, "Man, i'm making payments on this thing? And i've got several other projects that could be on the road with a little work that are paid for already?" Plus, it was really hard to drive a restored car in fall/winter/spring midwestern weather without destroying it.

Then there's always the thought of resale value...So I sold it. Now I'm driving another OT old car, fully paid for, and a total POS, but its a blast!

Ryan you're very fortunate to be in the position you are, so enjoy it. But if you find yourself feeling 'forced' to drive it everywhere, maybe take a break. No reason to be a masochist about it.

 

I've tried explaining this one to my wife and neighbors. But I took it one step farther. I made sure that my trucks are built with compatible parts. My OT GMC 4X4 has the same basic SBC as my 54 truck. Both have 12 bolt rear ends, both are 6 lug. Parts are cheap, and you can get anything for them anywhere. Nearly anything mechanical on my two trucks will interchange.

So what if I lose a fuel pump on the GMC and start driving the 54, then the dizzy on the 54 gives up the ghost? I can either swap in the fuel pump from the 54, or swap in the dizzy from the GMC!

 

I had the pleasure of a bringing an OT old truck back from Texas the weekend of the roundup. Went down there with the intention of 2 days worth of work on the truck, the garage crawl, roundup and driving home. Ended up missing the show and spending the entire time getting the truck ready.

But we took a '79 F250 extended cab, 460, camper special that hadn't been on the road much in several years. Replaced timing chain, tc housing, waterpump, hoses, belts, radiator, thermostat, distributor, wires, plugs, exhaust manifolds gasket, rebuilt carb, new brake pads, radius arm bushings, greased bearings, shocks, changed trans fluid/filter, installed trans temp gauge, changed rear end oil.

Then we jumped in it and drove 775 miles home. Made it with no problems and on dry rotted bfg a/t's (had two spares in case). But I was lucky and had my wife in our '07 daily f150 following me with tools, jacks, fluids, straps, tow bar, etc just in case. Was a lot of fun and felt like a huge accomplishment. Let her drive for about 100 miles after we got into Missouri and you couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

By the way, this was a $900 (with 72k original miles, perfect dash/door panels/etc, just needs a few rust spots fixed and painted) farm truck that we threw about $1200 in parts at. So it will replace a Jeep that I have a payment on and free up more money for my Hamb friendly cars.

 

In 1984, during Hurricane Gloria, I was driving my ’37 Chevy Pickup from the coast of NC to “higher ground,” toward Raleigh. On a lightly traveled two lane in the pouring rain the water pump ****ped out. I had barely pulled over into the tall gr*** when a car coming from the other direction slowed, then did a u turn and pulled in alongside of my truck. I’d not even gotten out. A rather attractive middle aged woman inquired as to my problem, and offered me a ride into the small town to a garage and an auto parts store. I remember thinking at the time; “an angel sent, just for me!”

Not to get all churchy or philosophical, but I’m learning at my young and tender age, (turned 68 last week,) that everything happens for a reason, and my life’s ongoing situations continually offer me the opportunity to make the “right” choices. My old cars are only vehicles toward that end, (pun intended.)

Any car, new, used, or downright “old,” is just another teaching tool so I can learn valuable lessons about making choices. Choices like trust, faith, and kindness instead of the others I’ve made over the years, fear, anger, and worry, to name but a few. Worry, (first cousin to fear,) is often, (as you mentioned,) with me, presenting me with an ongoing list of “what if’s” and “watch out for that’s.” We all have our own list.

What I am coming to believe is that worry, fear, anger, etc. are learned emotions; while trust, faithfulness, and kindness are God given. Look at a one or two year old for clues: they are totally trusting in their own process, very little fear shows. Only as we grow older do we “learn” to be afraid, how to worry, and of what to be afraid. Adults make sure to “teach” us well!

These days, I find myself more comfortable with wellness, and less likely to choose the fear feelings. Life, really is good. To be sure, a mission such as you just undertook is in the wellness column of your life’s experiences. From that, very few, if any negative experiences can come. Even the dreaded breakdown would surely yield some nugget of positivity in your process. I applaud your efforts to flow with what “feels right” in your car choices. (Plus, I love old cars!)

Thanks for hearing my views, and thanks for sharing yours.

GA

 

Dude, be reasonable. Come see me and I'll fix ya up with a new truck.

 

I have that problem. I have driven my Model A for 12 years now and just in the last month it has come home 2 times on a wrecker. It is a machine and I will win,

 

I worry sometimes too. Both my wife and I drive old cars, while not HAMB friendly (68 Chrylser, 71 Volvo P1800es for the wife) they are still old cars. But, we have AAA and so far, not a ton of major problems. You gotta drive em.

 

Exactly what I was thinking!

Think about how fun it would be to throw a budgeted amount of money every few weeks at a pile of parts until it turns into an identical, spare flathead, ready-to-go if something happens to yours! Or a spare transmission, etc. It turns a disaster into a fun weekend of component-replacement. Then with your car back in action a few hours later, you can begin the process again, this time rebuilding the part(s) that went South on you!

~Jason

 

Ryan I think you now know the feeling of driving your flattie on a long trip I get the greatest feeling when I am 500 to a thousand miles away from home in a car I know I built myself and know every nut and bolt on the thing. It does your mind wonders to realize that you are that far away and know that you can and will make it back. That is the one feeling I get that those who just by em don't get, the self satisfaction that this is truly my ride..........
"Keep em between the whites Ryan"..................

 

Glad you wrote on this topic Ryan, and I hope everyone on the HAMB see's it to. Very important for folks to see and understand that owning and driving the simple cars and trucks of days gone by are rewarding.
My daily driver is my '30 A Coupe, no frills at all, but fun. I'm considering turning my Chevy II Wagon drag car into my daily driver now.

 

keeping a daily beater like that around and on the road and having your kids grow up being driven around in it and learning how to drive in it will bring good sentimental value to the car and make rebuilding that flatty worth every dime..

 

this is def a problem or feeling i have when i drive mine. it always gets me home but i still think about it all while im driving. kinda thought i was the only one lol. i think another one of my biggest fears is driving mine on the interstate to a show. i still have yet to do so but i worry about if it will hold up along with the SUVs and 18wheelers going 80mph weaving in and out of cars. hopefully one day i will get up the nerve to drive it on the interstates.

 

the 60 was like a new car, should have kept that for worry free driving

 

For me, I've gone back & forth between driving late model and old cars as daily drivers for the last 10 years or so. For 4 years I didn't have anything old to drive, so I sold my late model truck and for almost a year now, my '56 has been my daily driver. The only difference between now and back then is, I don't have another vehicle to drive if the '56 goes down. I have an 80's F250 but it hasn't seen more than the parking lot in the past year since it has a rod knocking. I drive my '56 hundreds of miles per week, mostly on the highway at 80+mph or on the country back roads. I live just out of the city limits of a small town, and my closest friends are 30+ miles away. So needless to say, everytime I jump in my truck to go somewhere, the thought of a breakdown crosses my mind. I try not to think about it. I spend the first 10 minutes or so with the radio off just listening to the truck for any strange noises, by then the temp is up to par so the hammer goes down and the radio volume goes up. I do carry a good amount of tools, fluids, and roadside repair stuff, just incase. I've been fortunate with my truck, it's a good daily driver. I do have dreams of a fuel injected LS, 6 spd, and cold AC...but don't tell nobody.

 

The '55 in my Avatar was my only car for a long time. Warmed over 327, 4 speed and 4:56 gears. I never worried about it and even took it on a hunting trip. Cruising 55 all the way. The saving grace was if it broke, I could go to any auto parts store to fix it.